An underutilized but highly useful Web Hosting feature: Subdomains

There are so many underlying elements that serve as the foundation for a high-performing website. They include everything from SEO optimization and Web analytics, to setting up live chat and social media streaming. As an EarthLink Web Hosting customer, you have access to all of this — and more. Among the most underutilized but highly useful tools you may want to consider: adding subdomains.

What is a subdomain?
Subdomains are Website names or addresses created by adding a third-level domain to your existing domain name. For example, the domain “dogdynasty.com” might also include the subdomains “shop.dogdynasty.com,” “blog.dogdynasty.com” or “help.dogdynasty.com.” Subdomains allow you to replace the standard www domain prefix with just about any word or phrase. Subdomains represent subsections of your domain hosted in their own folders.

Why use subdomains?
While the use of subdomains is certainly common business practice, to use or not use subdomains is simply a matter of choice. Depending on your goals, you can use subdomains to organize your existing website into categories or to create a website that is entirely different from your main site. Before you decide to create a website subdomain, you should understand the ways it can help your business. It’s also a matter or whether or not you have enough content to justify subdomains.

How can subdomains help?

Content organization. Let’s say, for example, you have an excess of content surrounding to a particular topic, and you fear it’s starting to crowd your website. By creating a subdomain, you can feel better knowing that that content has its own subdomain home.

Search engine optimization. Many use website subdomains to boost their SEO results. How so? Search engines recognize subdomains as unique Web addresses (in other words, unrelated to parent domain names). That means that your subdomain website would appear right alongside your main domain website in search engine result pages…giving you all that much more exposure.

Brand reinforcement. Built around yet still very much connected to your business’s main website, subdomains serve as an excellent brand-building tool. They can make your company appear more “substantial”…more of a legitimate operation. By reinforcing your name and your abilities/knowledge base as a company, subdomains can built customers’ sense of trust in you and support your brand.

How do I set up subdomains?
EarthLink Web Hosting customers can set up subdomains by logging into the Control Center and select the orange tab entitled “Manage Domain.” The option to “Add Subdomains” is the last in a list of icon links.